Pages

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Your New Zealand South Island Trip..

About 33 per cent larger in land mass than the neighbouring
North Island, the bustling tourist-loving cities of the Otago and Canterbury
region – Christchurch, Dunedin, Tekapo and Kaikoura – all fly the charming flag of
New Zealand’s south splendidly.

Getting There; Christchurch is a major base towards the rest
of the South Island. From Singapore, direct flights are available from
Singapore to Christchurch International airport via Singapore Airlines daily. Connecting
domestic flights out of Christchurch are available via Air New Zealand.

Getting Around; Self-drives around the south Island are
easily arranged for, via major car rental companies such as budget rent a car and hertz. Camper vans are
especiallywell-received as well, these self-sufficient modes of transport
available for rent via Britz Campervan Hire
& Car Rentals or the higher end Maui
New Zealand.

When in Queenstown,
kids from six to sixty will adore the Kiwi birdlife park
a short walk away from the Skyline Complex, walking through the kiwi’s
nocturnal homes, joining bird feeding sessions, or embarking on a native garden
trail through five acres of New Zealand bush and wildlife.

Tekapo boasts
one of the world darkest yet clearest night skies in the Southern Hemisphere,
making for an excellent stargazing session at Mt John Observatory. Located high above the
Lake Tekapo landscape, visitors navigate the southern night sky with green laser pointers, peering
through powerful telescopes (US$103).

With 740 parks, Christchurch
is also otherwise known as the garden city, where the centrally located Hagley Park
delight visitors with a visage of colours best in spring and autumn. Take a
30-minute romantic ride punting down the iconic Avon River,
before getting lost in blooms within the Botanic Gardens (US$21).

The pretty rural town of Geraldine sits between Christchurch
and Lake Tekapo, this stopover spot perfect for a cozy lunch, and stocking up
on lovely jams at Barker’s Of Geraldine. Mostly using
locally grown fruit, try the strawberry jam, Boysenberry jam and lemon curd,
all delectably sweet and addictive (from US$4).

What the earth took millions of years to form can now be
seen in just a few hours at the spectacular Milford Sound. Capturing New Zealand’s dramatic
alpine beauty, a flight connection from Queenstown
is the ultimate luxury gift, circling the Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Park areas (from
US$167).

Smell the location even before you see it at Cadbury World located in Dunedin’s
centre. Tour s available through the week, the 75-minute walk takes you through
the chocolate making process, eating your bag of samples and gaping as one tone
of melted chocolate cascades five stories down (from Us$16).

An hour’s drive from Kaikoura
leads to the alpine town of hanmer, where many head to the farmed Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spas for long
soaks in mineral-rich thermal pools and therapist kneading all tensed up
muscles away (from US$15).

Get up close to towering ice cliffs and floating icebergs
with Glacier Explorers, one of only
three operators worldwide that offers such tours. Includes a trip through the Tasman Valley, and a
30-minute alpine walk across the National park (US$119).

They call it Wanaka’s ‘wonderful world of weirdness’, and Puzzling World definitely lives up to its
name, with illusion rooms, crazy architecture (their Leaning Tower of Wanka
tilts at 53 degrees – the Leaning tower of Pisa leans only six degrees), and a
hologram hall (US$110).